Work party dates for your diaries. As always, an invitation will arrive about 10 to 14 days before the date. When you reply, the WP Leader will send you more detailed joining instructions.
- Saturday 18th March
- Friday 31st March
- Sunday 9th April
- Wednesday 19th April
- Saturday 29th April
- Sunday 7th May
- Wednesday 17th May
March 8th we started clearing the leaves away on the West bank of the Lark in the Abbey Gardens and started one of a few hemlock removal work parties, now that hemlock is beginning to show it’s vigorous bright green whorls above the grass. Sleet and snow hampered our operations and the work parties were over earlier than most, with cold hands and fingers being sited as the reasons.
The weather was much kinder in February for our two work parties on ditch F1 in Ram meadow. In fact we were worrying about when our next rain was coming in. (We needn’t have worried!) The weather conditions were ideal on 12th and 25th February and it was particularly welcoming to see two large enthusiastic groups with 5 first-time volunteers.
The work party was split between bank clearance, chip spreading and litter picking. For the ditch clearance work, there were 2 chainsaws and 2 in-river people at each event, while the remainder were using loppers and bowsaws. The idea was to clear the ditch of debris and clear out some of the trees shading it.
With the arrival of 4 additional wheelbarrows from WSC, a far greater distance of path was resurfaced with chips than expected. We have learnt from the ‘No Dig’ guru, Charles Dowding, that wood chips keep the microbes happy in the soil and we all know that if our gut microbes are happy we are too. It’s the same with soil!
Another important job was completed at the same time as F1 ditch was being cleared. This was the creation of 5 deer exclosures which started our trial of the deer damage in the meadows.
